Bob Cooney

Mark Jackson, the former NBA point guard and current ESPN analyst, has decided to decline an opportunity to interview for the 76ers’ coaching job.

"It’s just not the right situation for him at this time,’’ was all that was offered by Steve Kauffman, Jackson’s agent.

The Sixers had been trying to schedule a meeting with Jackson, but Jackson sent word Tuesday that he was trying to determine whether he wanted to proceed. He informed Kauffman today of his decision. He is expected to interview for the New Orleans Hornets job, and is hopeful of being contacted by the Los Angeles Clippers and possibly the New Jersey Nets.

Jackson appeared in 1,296 regular-season games before retiring after the 2003-04 season, but has never coached. He was a first-round draft choice of the New York Knicks in 1987, and later logged time with the Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.

The Sixers, meanwhile, are in the process of scheduling a meeting with former Sixer Monty Williams, who has spent the last five seasons as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers. He interviewed last year for the Minnesota Timberwolves job that eventually went to Los Angeles Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis.

To this point, the Sixers are known to have met with former Sixers star and current TNT analyst Doug Collins and with former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson.